Archive for February, 2010
Our garage is a mess! The last house we lived in, there was no garage. So we were excited when we moved two years ago into a larger house with a garage. How wonderful for winter weather! We would not have to go out and defrost and clear the snow from the car. How wrong we were! Last year we were dumped on with snow, the worst winter in decades, and our car was outside in the driveway. What about our garage? It was a being used for storage, both organized and unorganized.
We really did try to organize our garage. We built shelves along the walls for boxes and plastic totes. Along another wall we had some metal shelves for home business items. There was also a work bench to keep tools organized with a cupboard above it that came from the kitchen remodel. But everything was still a mess, there just wasnât enough room. The motorcycle was in the garage, so that was good, but it took up floor space requiring the rest of the garage to be even better organized if we hoped to fit a car in as well. Also, we were sloppy recyclers. We were really good at recycling milk jugs, cereal boxes and cardboard, but for some reason people just opened the door and threw it into the garage to be gathered and taken to the recycling center once a month. I know that we had recycling bins at one time, but who knows what happened to them?
So enough was enough, we did not need another winter with our car outside. My husband is a âdo it yourselfâ kind of guy, which is really great, but we needed some help to get our garage organized, something that didnât cost a lot of money. We did not need the fancy large cabinets that are really nice but out of our budget. Also, it is the garage, rough built shelves worked great, we just needed creative ways of finding more space.
With a little research, we discovered some GREAT garage organizers to help us get more out of our limited space. Obviously, this was a universal problem that someone had put a considerable amount of thought to and had done something about it! There are many different items available to hang most anything on your wall or ceiling.
If you have wall space that is not used up by shelving, you can get some great wall garage organizers. They come in different forms, but are basically like a peg board or wall slat system that is used in department stores. Once you have the wall system in place, you can purchase different types of brackets, hooks and shelves to fit most any need. There are hooks for hanging gardening tools to help organize your rakes, hoes, shovels, etc. There are special shelves and baskets available to fit other sporting goods or other miscellaneous items. You can get large hooks specially designed to hang bicycles or garden hoses, or really small bins for organizing different hardware items such as screws, nuts and bolts.
Now, I donât really have much extra wall space for special hanging needs, though I could used some of these specialty hooks to help better organize some larger tools and bikes. And such hooks are available without having to purchase an entire wall system. Perfect for what I need.
The main accessible space that I have is the ceiling and I discovered some really neat systems to hang items. Some garage organizer systems are full metal shelves that hang. The shelf can come in varying sizes and depths. Sizes can vary from as small as a 2â x 6â to as large as a 4â x 8â, with drop down depths varying from 12â to 45â. These shelves are perfect for seasonal items such as camping supplies. Some shelves, such as I have described, you have to access by ladder, other systems are available that work on a pulley system for easy access.
Another great garage organizer system that I found was tracks that hung from the ceiling. The tracks have an âLâ shape. You position two sets of tracks the distance apart that you need so that you can hang plastic totes between them. For us this is perfect. All of our Christmas supplies are already kept in green plastic totes. We just hang the tracks 30â apart, label our totes and hang them by their lips on the tracks! Economical and we can keep using storage container that we already have. Also great for hanging plastic file containers. After all, where are you supposed to put those files that you are encouraged to keep for seven years? Many of these systems also come with special hangers for bikes and ladders.
Well, it did not take too much to get our garage organized. After all, we had been trying but were short just a little space. By using garage organizers to better organize some wall space for those awkward items like large tools and ladders, and then ceiling space for specialty items that only need to be accessed seasonally really helped. Though I have to say, that my favorite garage organizer gadget is my bike pulley!
MJ Marks
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/my-garage-is-a-mess-but-what-are-my-options-in-garage-organizers-702050.html
The process of planning out a new greenhouse is almost as big of a job as building the structure itself. There are so many questions to answer! How big should your greenhouse be? What is the right location? What type of greenhouse is right for you? Will you build your own structure from scratch, or will you purchase a ready to assemble greenhouse kit? The planning stage alone can take several months, plus the additional time and sweat work of actually building the greenhouse.
But once all this is done, then the real fun can begin! So once you’ve got your greenhouse built, what is the next step? How do you set up your greenhouse and get ready to begin greenhouse gardening?
Determining the types of plants you want to grow is usually the first step. Are you growing tropical plants that will have to remain in the greenhouse year round? Or are you starting plants from seed early in the spring, with the intent of moving them outdoors when the weather warms up? The types of plants you grow will have an impact on how you set your greenhouse up, including the type of shelving and work spaces you will need.
When purchasing shelving and work benches for your greenhouse, look for fixtures that can fit right into the greenhouse itself. For example, if you’ve bought a greenhouse kit, you may also be able to purchase shelves that snap right into the greenhouse walls. This type of shelving is a good choice because it saves space and is usually easy to install. For a work bench or potting surface, look for something sturdy and durable. A slatted surface is nice because soil can fall through the cracks and onto the ground, or into a collection bin you place below. On the other hand, a smooth surface makes for easy cleanup.
Once you’ve got your shelving and work surfaces in place, it’s time to begin greenhouse gardening! Soil preparation is a very important first step in this process. Visit your local garden center and talk to a professional about what type of soil you need. Different plants will require different soil pH levels, and tester kits can be purchased inexpensively at garden stores. Usually, a good bet is to purchase a commercial potting soil mix to build your base up in the gardening trenches of your new green house. This is an excellent way to get started, because the soil mix will be rich in nutrients that your plants need. Be sure your new soil mixture includes sand, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and fir bark for adequate drainage.
Another possibility for getting good soil is to begin your own composting system. Garden composters and tumbling bins can be found through mail order catalogs or online stores, and they will produce the richest, most fertile soil you can imagine, and your plants will grow better than they ever have before.
Soil should be watered only on an as-needed basis. Over watering inside a greenhouse may cause plant death due to the climate control system inside the greenhouse. Drip irrigation systems are good, but most greenhouse owners prefer to water plants manually to prevent getting too much water in the soil. Water only when the soil feels dry. If you are going to be out of town for a few days, document your watering habits for a week or so before hand. This way, if you ask a friend or neighbor to water for you in your absence, you’ll be able to tell them exactly how often they’ll need to water.
Greenhouse gardening is a wonderful hobby and a great way to improve your gardening skills. Once the hard work of planning and assembling the greenhouse is done, you’ll be rewarded with years of enjoyment spent in your greenhouse. Plus you’ll have bigger and better plants to show for your efforts. Happy greenhouse gardening!
Ellen Bell
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/getting-started-with-greenhouse-gardening-740527.html
With most homes becoming short on space, adding a metal wine rack that hangs from your wall or ceiling makes all the difference. You now have storage space for your treasured bottles of wine as well as an aesthetic appeal. These wall racks provide us with three separate functions such as wine storage, visual decor and open work space facilitation. A wine rack is to wine as hands are to arms. They are an extension and a useful tool for your wine collection.
Metal wine racks are a sensible decision when selecting a good way to store and protect your wine collection. The very nature of the metal makes them durable, sturdy and long lasting. Since the material is metal it is often twisted into sculptures or designs unobtainable by traditional wood wine racks. These designs are then forged at high heats so the wine rack metal is almost indestructible. It requires minimal cleaning just soap and water and can be polished or dulled depending on the owners desires. They are always artistic in design and a great conversation piece. Most home owners display them prominently around the home for visual appreciation and pleasure.
Adding one to a residence can heighten the homes value and distinguish it from other homes. It can also help keep wine fresh, undisturbed and easy to access when you need it. Wine lovers will find these racks appealing and fairly priced regardless of the choice of rack.
Wall mounted metal wine racks are perfect when space is at a premium or when you wish to display a special collection above a buffet or side table. They are designed to provide the required bottle tilt for cork protection and most feature a no-roll shelving for stability. They all offer endless possibilities in terms of style and versatility.
In my dinning room I created a dramatic focal point that incorporated additional pieces of metal art work. I chose two pieces of metal art work of similar color and texture from my wine rack and mounted them on both sides of the display. It looked exceptionally impressive and everyone that sees it comments on the beauty and artistic flow of the room.
Wrought iron wine racks are some of the most traditional metal wine racks. They can be simple and elegant with straight clean lines or gracefully curvy. Wine racks made from chrome or steel are perfect for modern decor.
Solid in its construction metal, wine racks will hold the weight of several wine bottles with ease and provide a visual creative conversation piece. A popular spot for a metal wine rack has become over a kitchen island where it can stay out of the way but still adds drama to the room. Because of its highly skilled design and craftsmanship you will be looking to show off this piece just as much as your wine collection.
Wine racks are offered in a wide variety of styles, shapes and dimensions to fit just about anyoneâs specifications and decor style. They are available in a plethora of sizes to hold from one bottle to hundreds of bottles.
A very important part of choosing a wine rack is the way the bottles are placed. Only choose one that will hold the bottles in a downward position. This is an important feature since wine should be stored with the neck pointing down in an effort to keep the cork from drying out and allowing air to permeate the bottle.
Some pieces have artfully crafted shaped vines that hold bottles in their proper position not only for decorative purposes but for functional attributes. This feature is ideal for choosing high quality racks.
Genuine metal wine racks make their best impression if presented in their natural color or in colors of artificially oxidized patina surface. The highest value of metal wine racks lies in its ability to keep its beauty for centuries, and not becoming a victim of daily trends.
You must ensure that the wall mounted metal wine wrack hanging from your wall is safely anchored into studs. What is important to consider is the weight the rack can safely carry. You do not want the weight of the bottles to pull it from the wall. It would be most devastating to find your wine bottles shattered on the floor.
This decorative accessory allows you to be surrounded by elegance and gives you the security to age your collection with confidence. So now letâs all raise our glass and make a toast to the perfect wine rack!
Barbara Tobiasz
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/wall-mounted-metal-wine-rack-toast-to-the-perfect-rack-693628.html